Golf bag



June 18, 1929. CAUFFMAN GOLF BAG Filed Aug. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 n l I l I l l l l I lll'l'il l l l l l l l I Il.

June 18, 1929. L, CAUFFMAN 4 1.717.959

GOLF BAG Filed Aug. 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 f 294 'Z1' 4?/ :IZ

/l if 15 Ik l v10 Leo 'zl ATToR v5 Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES EE0 CAUEFMAN, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

GOLF BAG.

Application filed August 28, 1926.

The present invention relates to golf bags and has for its object to provide more particularly improved means for segregating and locking the golf clubs against unauthorized removal from the bag 'when not in use.

y .A further object of the invention is to provide a golf bag having improved means for holding the clubs separated one from another to prevent injurying of the same by the rubbing of one club against another and also to prevent rattling of the clubs in transporting the bag from point to point. y l further object of the invention is to pro- 'vide an improved; simply constructed guard or retaining device for golf clubs adapted for ready application to or lremoval from the mouth of a golf bag and including locking means for preventing unauthorized removal of the clubs as well as preventing removal of the device itself when the locking means is in service posi-tion.

To these and other ends the invention residesin certain improvements and combinations of partsr` all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation embodying one form of the invention; c

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional plan taken on line 2--2a of Figure 1 with the full number of clubs shown in locked position;

Figure 3 is a similar view with the club retaining means in release position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary lsectional elevation taken on line 1a-4 of Figure 2;

:Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation showing the locking means in release p0- sition; f

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken on line 6-6a of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a sectional plan taken on line 7a-7a' of Figure 5; c

Figure 8 is a detailed section through the club retaining plates taken on line 81---8a of Figure 3; and

Figure 9 is a view in elevation illustrating the manner of connecting the ends of the retaining band for preventing unauthorized removal of the device from the bag. y l

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The. present invention is one adapted for f .attachment .to thegmouth of different types of Serial No, 132:25?.

golf bags and not only aiTords protecting means for the clubs which is adapted to pre-r vent one from rubbing against another lbut serves also to steady and prevent rattling of the clubs when thebag is being carried from one point to another. It further serves to prevent unauthorized removal of the clubs from the bag when shipped by express or when left at club houses and is particularly advantageous for this reason since it is not infrequent that unscrupulous persons having access to the clubs will not hesitate to substitute an inferior one for a better or higher priced club and in many cases one or more of the clubs are taken without pretense at substitution. This frequently happens at public golf courses where a great many players store their clubs in a house provided for the purpose rather than take them home and where they arenot under loclr and key during the hours when the course is open to the public but accessible to all players who desire to make use of the club house. i

Referring to the drawings, 10 represents a golf bag which may be of any well-known or preferred type having the usual carrying strap 11 and handle, not shown. The bag may be formed of canvas, leather or anyother suitable material and is provided at its upper end with a collar 12 formed preferably of a strip of leather looped t'o receive a stiftening ring 18 and having inwardly and outwardly disposed downwardly projecting portions 1/1 and 15 secured to the bag prefer-y ably by two rows of stitching as indicated at 16 and 17. Y

The stiifening ring 13 and the material surrounding the same aiord a bead 18 at the up-A per edge of the collar which not only provides a neat finish for the mouth of the bag but functions to holdk the club retainingineans in position as will appear hereinafter. The strap 11 has its upper end looped around the' bead and is secured in any suitable mann-er` as by the rivets 20 shown in Figure 2. The

lower end ofthe strap, not shown, may be connected with the bag by riveting or stitchf ing, as desired.

Overlying the mouth of the bag is an annular frame or base plate 21 preferably constructed of sheet metal and having an angularly disposed flanged portion 22 curved to snugly fit the bead 18 of thev collar 12 as shown in Figures L1 and 6. The curved flanged portion 22 carries a series of depending strips or fingers 23 which are preferably integral with the flanged portion, being formed by slitting an extension of the flange at suitable distances apart as indicated rin Figure 5. Certain of the depending lingers 23 are provided with outwardly stuck lugs 2li adapted to form retaining means for a band 25 surrounding the upper end of the bag and overlying the lingers 23, the band serving to clamp the ngers upon the depending portion l5 of the collar l2 to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the bag. The band is preferably made of a suitable metal7 such as spring steel and its ends are anchored upon a headed stud 26 secured to a strip 23a depending from the curved flange 22 between two of the lingers 23 as shown in Figures 5 and 6. The ends 27 and 2S of the band overlap as shown in Figure 9 and are provided with enlarged openings 29 and 30, respectively, to permit said ends to be applied to the headed stud as shown in Figure 9. While the openings are each made large enough at one end to permit the head of the stud to pass therethrough they are narrowed at their opposite ends and occupy the position shown in Figure 9 when the band is in locking position upon the bag. rlhe band when in` said position prevents spreading of the yieldable lingers 23 when an outward pull is exerted upon the base plate 2l whereby removal of the latter is prevented. When the band is moved to release position and an outward pull exerted on said plate 2l the bead 18 will cause the flanged portion 22 thereof` and the depending lingers 23 to spread or spring outwardly an amount suiiicient to permit withdrawal of the plate from the bag. Likewise in applying the plate to the bag, said fingers will be forced outwardly by the bead and will spring intoengagement with the outer portion l5 of the collar Al2 when the plate is forced downwardly to the position shown in Figure el. The fmgersare then made toV grip said collar portion by tightening the band, which can be done `by gripping the outwardly turned end portion 28"* of the free end of the band with a pair of pliers and exerting a pull thereon until the opening 30 is opposite the stud 26A at which time the end portion 28 of the band is pressed inwardly and secured as shown in Figure 9.V The base plate 21 is cut away at 3l as indicated inFigure 2 to provide clearance for the upper end of the strap v11.

Superimposed upon the basel plate 2l is a club locking member 32 preferably in the form of a disc or diaphragm which is rotatably disposed upon the base plate and permanently connected therewith by a pivot `bolt or stud 33,V about the axis of which the locking member is adapted to rotate.

The base plate is provided with a series of openings 34 through which the shafts 35 of the different types of golf clubs used by the player are adapted to extend, the openings beingof a size slightly larger than the diameters of thehandle portions 35a of the clubs to permit easy passage of the latter through said openings. The rotatable disc or diaphragmi32 is likewise provided with a corresponding series of openings 36 through which the shafts of the clubs are adapted to project. The openings 34 and 36 are preferably formed by punching holes in the plates and striking outwardly and bending downwardly a portion of the metal to provide the rounded edge portions 34a and 36L which are thus constructed so as not to mar or cut the shafts of the clubs when in engagement therewith.

The normal position of the disc or diaphragm 32`when the player is using the bag is shown in Figure 3 and the locking or club retaining position is shown in Figure 2. In the last named'iigure the rounded portion 34a of the base plate 2l cooperate with the rounded portions 362L of the diaphragm 32 to steady the clubs, whereby they are prevented from rattling and by reason of the taper of the shanks or shafts 35, said portions prevent withdrawal of the clubs from the bag.

The diaphragm 32 is adapted to be locked in position to prevent removal of the clubs, preferably by a padlock 37 for preventing release of a hasp 38 from locking position upon a staple 39 as shown in Figure 1l. The staple is preferably secured to a downwardly bent tongue or extension l0 on the diaphragm plate 32 and the hasp 38 is hinged to the bottom of the strip 23a depending from the flanged portion 22 of the base plate as shown in Figures 5 and 6. WVhen the diaphragm plate is in locking position as shown in Figures 2 and 4 the hasp 38 andextension 40 are adapted to lie directly in front of the bandsecuring stud 26 so that the releasable end 28 of the band is rendered inaccessible and thereforevcannot bereleased to permit removal of the diaphragm and lbase plates from the bag. The rotatable diaphragm is held in the two different positions of adjustment shown in Figures 2 and 3 by a depressed portion 42 on the diaphragm plate 32 which springs into dipressions or openings 43 and 44 in the base plate when the diaphragm plate is in the positions shown respectively in said-Figures 2 and 3. l

The diaphragm plate at a point opposite the extension Ll() is cut away as indicated at ll5 in Figure 2 to clear the strap l1 when said plate is rotated between its extreme positions.

While I have shown the diaphragm and base plates provided with openings for eight golf clubs, it will be understood that this number may be increased or decreased as desired and that the size and shape of the openings may also be varied if desired.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction or lll the exact arrangement of parts shown as different modifications may be readily devised within the scope of the appended claims.

It is pointed out further that my improvements are directed not only to the locking of clubs in a golf bag7 but also to the construction of a bag or an. attachment therefor which will save wear on the bag and on the clubs also. The ordinary golf bag having one opening at the mouth and in which the clubs slide around as the bag is carried, wears out rapidly at the mouth due to this sliding` movement. Furthermore the heads of the shorter clubs come in contact with the shafts of the longer clubs and mar and wear them. With the present device both of these wearing actions are obviated because the clubs are so segregated that they do not engage each other nor the upper edges of the bag.

What I claim as my invention is l. The combination with a bag for golf clubs from which the latter are adapted to project, of retaining means for the clubs located upon' the bag comprising relatively movable parts extending transversely of the mouth of the bags, one of which is adjustable for cooperation with the other to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag through engagement with opposite portions of said clubs.

2. The combination with a. bag for golf clubs, of retaining means for the clubs comprising relatively movable parts one of which is pivoted upon the other, said parts being adapted to engage the shafts of the clubs and cooperating to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag.

3. The combination with a bag for golf clubs from which the latter are adapted to project, of a member extending transversely of and fixed t-o the mouth of the bag and a second member adjustable relative to the first said members cooperating to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag through engagement with opposite portions of said clubs.

4. The combination Witha bag for golf clubs, of a pair of club retaining members one of which is adjustable upon the other, the latter extending transversely of and being secured to thc mouth of the bag, said members being adapted to engage the club shafts on opposite sides thereof to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag and means for locking said adjustable member in retaining position.

5. The combination with a bag for golf clubs, of means for holding the clubs segre- `gated within the bag comprising adjacently disposed members secured upon and extending transversely of the mouth of the bag and each having a series of openings through which the clubs are adapted to project, one of the members being adjustable to and from a position at which it cooperates with the other to hold the 'clubs in the desired yposition.

6. The combination with a bag clubs, of a club holding connected with. the mouth of thc bag including alined superimposed members through which the clubs are adapted to project, one of said members being adjustable to and from means for securing said members upon the bag and locking means for said adjustable member adapted when in locking position to prevent release of said securing means.

7. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of golf bags, including a pair of relatively adjustable club retaining members through which the clubs are adapted to project, said members being disposed in planes substantially at right angles to the clubs and adapted in one position to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag and in another position to permit Withdrawal of the same.

8. A club holding device forattachment to the open 'ends of golf bags, including a pair of relatively adjustable club retaining members extending transversely of the mouth of the bag and between portions of which the clubs are adapted to project and by which they are held against removal from the bag when said retaining members are adjusted to a predetermined position and means for locking said members in said position.

9. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of golf bags, comprising a pair of relatively adjustable club retaining members extending transversely of the mouth of the bag and between portionsof which the clubs are adapted to `project and by which they are held againstremoval from the bag when said members are adjusted to a predetermined position, means for holding said members in said position and means carried by one of the members for securing it upon the bag.

10. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of golf bags, comprising a pair of relatively adjustable club retaining members betweenportions of which the clubs are adapted to project and by which theyy are held against removal from the bag when said members are adjusted to a predetermined position, releasable securing means carried by one of the members for securing it upon the for golf bag and locking means for the adjustable' club retaining member adapted when in locking position to preventrelease of said securing means. Y

11. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of golf bags, comprising a base plate arranged to overlie the mouth of the bag and through which the clubs are adapted to project, said plate having retaining means projecting downwardly therefrom device detacliably club retaining position, releasable lll() llO and adapted for engagement with the bag whereby to secure it upon the latter and a second plate adjustable upon the first and adapted to cooperate therewith to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag.

l2. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of gold bags, comprising a base plate arranged to overlie the mouth of the bag and through which the clubs are adapted to project, said plate having a series of' depending fingers adapted to extend downwardly upon the bag, means for clamping the fingers upon the bag` and a second plate adjustable upon the first and adaptedvto cooperate therewith to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag.

13. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of golf bags, comprising a base plate .arranged to overlie the mouth of the bag and through which the clubs are adapted to project, said plate having a series of depending fingers adaptedto extend downwardly upon the bag, a band adapted to surround the fingers and arranged to clamp them upon the `bag and a second plate adjustable upon the first and adapted to cooperate therewith to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag.

14. A club holding device forattachment to the open ends of golf bags, comprising a base plate arranged t0 overlie the mouth of the bag and through which the clubs are adapted to project, said plate having a series of depending fingers adapted to extend downwardly upon the bag, means for clamping the fingers upon the bag, a second plate ro tatable upon the first and yadapted to cooperate therewith to prevent removal of the clubs from the bag, a tongue extending downwardly from said second plate opposite one of said fingers and having a staple projecting therefrom, a hasp hinged upon the last mentioned finger through which the staple is adapted to project and a lock carried by the staple.

l5. A club holding device for attachment to the open ends of golf bags, comprising a base plate arranged tooverlie the mouth of the bag and through which the clubs are adapted to project, said plate having a series of depending fingers adapted to extend downwardly upon the bag, a stud secured to one of the lingers, a band adapted to surround the ngers and to clamp them upon the bag, said hand having its ends detachably connected with the stud and a second plate adjustable upon the first andadapted to cooperate thereyith to prevent removal of the clubs from the 16. A club holding device for attachment to the open end of a golf bag having a bead upon said end, comprising a base plate arranged to overlie the mouth of the bag and provided with a retaining flange adapted to engage the bead whereby to hold the plate upon the bag and a second plate adjustable upon the first and adapted to cooperate there? withto prevent removal of the clubs from the bag.

'Y 17. The combination with a golf club bag, of a member extending transversely of and connected with the bag and having a portion for engaging the shaft of a club disposed therein and a second member arranged to engage the shaft and being adjustahlerelative to and adapted to cooperate with the first mentioned memberto hold the club against withdrawal from the bag. A

i Luo GAUFFMAN. 

